Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-20

benolder's breath stand still; aI1u SIS Tor
the calm glory that shines upon her per-
feet faee-wen, | can never hope to de-
scribe it; but there it rests, Ike the shadow
of an angels smile, and power, love, and
divinity all have their part in it. Her eyes
arc fixed upon the sleeping youth, and per
haps the most extraordinary thing about
this beautiful work is the success with
which the artist has succeeded in depicting
on the sleepers worn and weary face the
sudden rising of n new and spiritual
thought as the spell begins to work within
his mind. You can see that an inspiration
is breaking in upon the darkness of the
mans soul, as the dawn breaks in upon
the darkness of the night It is glorious
piece of statuary, and none but a genius
could have conceived it. Between each of
the black marble columns is some such
group of figures, some allegorical and
some representing the persons and wives
of deceased monarchs or great men; but
none Of them, in our opinion, comes up to
the one I nave described although several
are from the hand of the great sculptor
! and engineer, King Rademas.
In the exact center of the hall was d
solid mass of black marble about the size
OF baby's armchair, which it rather re-
| Sembled in appearance. This as we after
| ward learned, was the sacred stone Of this
remarkable people, and omit their mon
archS laid their hand after the ceremony
of coronation. and Swore by the sun to
| safeguard the interests of the empire, and
| to maintain its customs, traditions, and
! laws. This stone was evidently exceed
| ingly ancient Gas indeed all stones are), and
| was scored down its sides with long marks,
| or lines, which Sir Henry said proved it to
have been a fragment that at some re-
/ mote period in its history had been ground
| In the iron jaws of glaciers. There was a
| curious prophecy about this block of mar
| bic, which was reported among the people
| to have fallen from the sun to the effect
| that when it was shattered into fragments
| king of alien race should rule over the
| land. AS the stone, however, looked re-
| markedly solid, the native princes seemed
| to have a fair chance of keeping their own
for many long year.
| At the end of the hall is a dais spread
| with rich carpets, on which two thrones
are set side by side. These thrones are
shaped like great chairs and are made of
solid gold. The seats are richly cushioned,
| but the backs are left bare, and on each is
carved the emblem of the sun, shooting
| out his fiery rays in all directions. The
footstools are golden lions couchant, with
| yellow topazes set in them foreyes. There
are no other gems about them.
The place is lighted by numerous but
narrow windows, placed high UP, cut on
| the principle of the loopholes to be seen in
| ancient castles, but innocent of glass, which
was evidently unknown here.
Such is a brief description of this splen-
did hall in which we now found ourselves
compiled of course from Cur subsequent
| knowledge of it. On this occasion we had
| but little time for observation, for when
we entered we perceived that large num-
Der of men were gathered together in front
of the two thrones which were unoccEpied
The principal among them were seated or
carved wooden chairs ranged to the right
and the left of the thrones but not in front
of them. and were dressed in white tunicS
with various embroideries and different
colored edgings, and armed with the usua
pierced and gold inlaid swords. TO judge
| from the dignity of their appearance, they
seemed one and all to be individuals Of
very great Importance. Behind each Of
| these great men was a small knot Of fol
lowers and attendants.
Seated by themselves, in little group tC
the left of the throne, were six men of q
different stamp. Instead of wearing the
ordinary kilt, they were clothed in long
robes of pure white linen with the same
symbol Of the sun that is to be seen on the
back OF the chairs, emblazOned in gold
thread upon the breast. This garment
was grit up at the waist with simple
golden curb-like chain, from which hung
long elliptic plates of the same metal, fash
Toned in shiny scales like those of a fish
that, as their wearers moved, jingled and
reflected the light They were all men OF
mature age, and OF o severe and impressive
cast of features which We're rendered still
more imposing by the long - -.
wore
The personality Of one individual among
them, however, impressed us at once. He
seemed to stand out among his fellows and
refused to be overlooked. He was very old
eighty at least-and extremely tall with
a long, snow-white beard that hung nearly
to his waist. His features were aquiline
and deeply cut, and his eyes were gray
and cold-looking. The heads of the Others
were bare. but this man wore a sort Df
round cap entirely covered with gold en-
broidery, from which we judged that he
was person of great Importance; and, il
deed, it afterward transpired that he was
Agon, the High Priest of the country. As
we approached, all these men, including
the priests, rose and bowed to us with the
greatest courtesy, at the same time placing
the two fingers across the lips in saluta-
ton. Then soft-footed attendants adj
vanced from between the pillars, bearing
seats, which were placed in a line in front
of the thrones. We three sat down, Al
phonse and Umslopogaas standing behind
us. Scarcely had we done so when there
came blare of trumpets from some pass
age to the right, and similar blare from
the left Next man with q long white
wand of ivory appeared just in front OF the
right-hand throne, and cried out something
in Il loud voice, ending with ehe word NJ
lepthG, repeated three times; and another
man, similarly attired, called out similar
sentence before the other throne, but end
ing with the word S0rdis, also repeated
thrice. Then came the tramp Of armed
men from each side-entrance, and in flee
about score of picked and magnificently
accoutered guards, who formed upon eacf
side Of the thrones. and let their heavy